Transfer order of STC driver, who sought information under RTI Act, stayed

K.T. Sangameswaran,The Hindu

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has granted interim stay of the operation of a State Transport Corporation order transferring a driver, who sought information from his employer under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Justice K. Chandru ordered notice.

R. Ravikumar stated that he was a driver in Mettupalayam-2 branch of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Coimbatore. Not satisfied with politically affiliated trade unions, he and some other likeminded employees wanted to set up the Driver Conductor Social Welfare Association.

He was also trying to get the grievances of employees, who proposed to join the new union, redressed. In the process, he requested the Public Information Officer to furnish details of the functioning of the Corporation.

In the reply, certain information was true and the others irrelevant. He sought the details of the functioning of the legal section.

He failed to get the information but earned officials’ displeasure. In January this year, he was informed that he should go to the branch office and receive his transfer order.

He informed the branch manager and officials that unless he was informed of genuine reasons for his transfer, he would not accept the order but would go on fast with his family in front of the branch office.

He submitted a representation to the General Manager in January. After nearly six months, he was relieved from duty on July 14 and asked to report at Gudalur the next day. The relieving order was issued before the transfer order dated January 22.

He said that the transfer was with the mala fide intention of punishing him for seeking information under the RTI Act.